Author Archives: Circus Smirkus
Residency Program Awarded VT Grant
A partnership between Circus Smirkus and the Winooski (VT) School District has been awarded a grant from the Vermont Agency of Education to demonstrate how an engaging learning opportunity – like the circus arts – can support a school’s shift toward personalized learning experiences for students. This change encourages students to take ownership and responsibility for their own learning and educational goals. In this project, Circus Smirkus and the Winooski Middle School will be aligning their offerings around important content and skills and developing ways to track students’ individual progress toward their learning goals. As an engaging series of skills that…
PODCAST: Rumblestrip Interviews Rob Mermin
Rumblestrip is a popular podcast produced by Erica Heilman. In this episode, “The Last Chapter”, Heilman interviews Circus Smirkus founder Rob Mermin. This is a story about the friendship between Rob and his friend Bill Morancy, and the months, days and moments leading up to Bill’s death. Bill Morancy toured with Smirkus one season as a concessionaire. He wanted to experience running away to join the circus — when he was 65 years old — and he bunked with Big Top Tour musician/composer Tristan Moore, who became one of his closest friends. In the final stages of terminal illness, Bill opted to use…
Down the Road With Former Smirko Cam Zweir
When you are a circus performer, ‘home’ is quite often open to interpretation. For Circus Smirkus alumnus Cameron Zweir, ‘home’ currently changes on a daily basis! Hailing from Holyoke, MA, this 18-year-old acrobat was recently cast in the National Broadway Tour of Pippin. Joining the cast of Pippin was definitely a case of “right person, right place, right time” for Cam. We asked him how he ended up on this adventure of a lifetime. “They were looking for a base, and someone I had trained with suggested they contact me,” he said. “Next thing I know, I’m in rehearsal!” For…
Smirkus alumna Ariele Ebacher featured in new Fitbit Alta ad
Smirkus alumna and former wire walking coach Ariele Ebacher was recently featured in this new Fitbit Alta ad. Way to go Ariele! Ariele lives in Chicago where she and her husband Jan Damm (who has also coached for Smirkus!) continue to work as circus artists. When they aren’t under the big top or on the high wire (and often when they are!) they are with their adorable little circus son, Timo. Ariele Ebacher elevates the art of tight wire, one moment gracefully gliding across the wire and the next moment kicking off her heels (literally) and breaking out in dance….
Circus Smirkus at the 2017 Smithsonian Folklife Festival
One of the most enduring fantasies in American culture is the dream of “running away to join the circus.” At the Smithsonian Folklife Festival this summer, Circus Smirkus will showcase that dream in the center ring. Circus Smirkus has been invited to participate in a program to spotlight the Circus Arts, that will feature intimate workshops, full-scale performances, and learning opportunities from master circus artists. For the Circus Arts program at the festival, Circus Smirkus founder Rob Mermin has assembled a multidisciplinary troupe of former Smirkos to join him in presentation and performance. Circus Smirkus will also present a program…
Spotlight on Sellam El Ouahabi, Big Top Tour Coach
Sellam El Ouahabi has worked in the circus industry for 37 years – and counting. He began his career at the age of 13, with his first professional touring contract as a member of the Hassani acrobatic troupe in Tangier, Morocco. He went on to join the famed Ben Karim Troupe and performed continuously until he was 19 years old, at which point, he pursued a career as a solo artist. For the next two decades, El Ouahabi innovated and performed all variety of acts, including acrobatics, human pyramids, hand balance, aerial straps, trapeze, the Wheel Of Death, aerial silks,…
Spotlight on Judy Gaeth, Director of Circus Operations
As she prepared to interview a candidate for this summer’s tour crew, Judy Gaeth reluctantly took a few minutes out of her busy schedule to talk with us about her role at Circus Smirkus. Judy has been with Smirkus for more than half its 30 year lifetime. She’s not one to talk about herself, so we had to beg to make this happen. Here’s what we learned about Judy Gaeth, Director of Circus Operations. On a whim in 2002, Judy answered an ad in the newspaper for Business Office Manager at Circus Smirkus and after a series of interviews, she…
From the Executive Director: A Boxcar of Work
Everybody knows PT Barnum. But my circus hero was his partner Jim Bailey, the operations miracle worker who was able to transport, unload, parade, feed, perform, and reload over 300 animals and 1,000 people every day. As this summer season kicks off, I sprinkled a little popcorn in front of his picture and asked for the inspiration and gumption to hook up the engine, stoke the Smirkus train, and create the here-today, gone-tomorrow, circus miracle that thousands of kids yearn for all winter long. This year Jim and all the circus angels that smile on Smirkus are working overtime. Our…
Update From Nettie Lane, Residency Artist
I am working at a school in Vermont right near the border of Canada and New Hampshire. It’s cold and snowy over here, but something happened that warmed my heart. I have one student who is in a wheelchair and doesn’t have much muscle or muscle control. It is difficult for her to lift things. Yesterday, we worked together on finding ways to adapt the activities. We cut a stick down making it a lot shorter and worked out a plate spinning routine. Today, her mother found me before my class to say ‘thank you.’ The circus magic had taken…